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Anyone have Encephalomalacia and Gliosis after brain surgery?
I had a craniotomy 5 months ago to remove a large frontal lobe meningioma. I recently had an MRI and the report included encephalomalacia and gliosis among the findings. I read a few internet articles and found these conditions to be a softening and scarring of brain tissue that can occur from TBI, infection, surgery or even drug abuse. I’m starting IMRT soon and am concerned about the effects of 60 Gray of radiation going into an already injured area. I spoke with the radiation oncologist who said that in her experience it was unusual to NOT encounter these conditions after surgery. This was a little bit comforting but I still postponed the start of treatment by a week to get comments from the neurosurgeon. Still waiting for neurosurgeon response. Does anyone else here have this condition and how has it affected you?
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I assume that the brain invasion was the decisive factor to recommend radiation treatment. It seems that you are otherwise in good physical health (same here). It is encouraging to hear that the radiation treatment didn't effect you very much. I wish you a good outcome! I will see what my scan will show in 3 months. I didn't have brain invasion but a good piece of bone needed to be cut out. It has been replaced by titanium mesh and now I am a metal-head - no big deal.
Was that the bone invasion mentioned earlier? Is titanium mesh as impact resistant as bone? BTW I don’t have feeling in the top of my head due to the incision, so I’m a numbskull.
@kdog1957 Yes, I was curious if you had bone invasion and if you had lost bone that was replaced by a titanium mesh. Not too many patients have my experience. The area of the incision was numb for about 3 months, then I got my feeling back. I can sense the screws that hold the titanium mesh in place and on some days the interface between mesh and bone - a reminder of the surgery but no pain. I asked the question about the stability of the titanium mesh. My neurosurgeon told me that it can take a heavy impact - everything my skull bone could. I could still go skiing if I wanted without worrying about a head injury.
@bfschemikerin
I had a 3cm meningioma removed from my left cerebellum last year. They'd been observing it for years, but it started growing faster and it had infiltrated the bone. It actually went clear through the bone so they had to do a craniectomy and fill the space with titanium mesh. I was surprised as I thought meningiomas were more encapsulated and stayed inside the skull.
The area over the mesh is a bit lumpy and the skin and scar tissue still feel tight. For months the pressure was uncomfortable, but after a year it's much better.
@stella54 I had a big piece of bone removed and replaced by titanium mesh held by titanium screws. I don't have pain. Sometimes the scar tissue feels tight, sometimes it is the edges that I feel or the screws. I had a recent MRI one year after my surgery. It didn't show signs of recurrence. Since then I don't associate the sensations from my cranioplasty with signs of recurrence. I am much more relaxed about it and can ignore it.
@bfschemikerin
I have my one-year post-surgery visit with my neurosurgeon next month. I had my MRI a few weeks ago. The only thing new on it was evidence of "encephalomalacia and gliosis". That worried me, but it seems it's pretty normal after brain surgery.